Sheet glass apparatus



Aug. 16, 1932. c b so l,872,587

SHEET GLASS APPARATUS Filed April 18, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR JhnC. Her) ders on ATTORNEY 1932- J. c. HENDERSON l,872,587

SHEET GLAS S APPARATUS Filed April s, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORJohn C. Henderson ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 16, 1932 PATENT OFFICE JOHN C.I-IENDERSON, OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO LIBBEY-CWENS-FOEDGLASS COMPANY, OF TOLEDO, OI-IIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO SHEET GLASSAPPARATUS Application filed April 18, 1930. Serial No. 445,*163.

The present invention` relates to apparatus for producing sheet glass.

In the Colburn process for producing sheet glass as exemplified inColburn Patent 1,248,809, granted December 4, 1917, the glass sheet iscontinuously drawn upwardly 'rom a mass of molten glass contained in asuitable receptacle or pot and after becoming substantially set,although while still in a semiplastic condition, is defiected into thehorizontal plane about a rotatable bending roll and passed horizontallyover a combined drawing and fiattening table into and through anannealng leer. The drawing and flattening table referred to above isusually in the form of an endless movable conveyor constructed ofaplurality of pivotally associated metallic links.

An important object of this invention is to render possible the omissionof the movable draw table referred to above and to provide in its placea novel type of stationarytablc of simple and inexpensive Constructionand which' will both facilitate and improve the flattening and annealiigof the glass sheet as it is caused to travel thereover.

Another object of the invention is the provision of stationary means forsupporting the sheet and over and in contact with which said sheet maybe dragged while in a semi-plastic condition, said means producing awiping action upon the sheet to smooth or flatten out any surfaceirregularities or defects therein.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a novel type ofstationary sheet supporting and flattening table, together with improvedmeans 'or supporting and adjusting the same.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparentduring the course of the following description when taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawings.

.In the drawings forming a part of this application and wherein likenumerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal section through apparatus provided bythe present invention,

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the improved sheet supporting table orplate showing the neans for heating the same,

Fig. 3 is a detail section showing one way in which the table or platemay be adjustably mounted, and

Fg. 4 is a section taken on line 4-4 of F ig. 3.

in the apparatus illustrated in the drawings, there is provided arelatively shallow receptacle or draw pot 5 containing a mass of noltenglass 6 supplied thereto from any suitable type of furnace. The glasssheet 7 is drawn upwardly from the surface of the molten mass 6 and isdeflected about a rotatable bending roll 8 into a substantiallyhorizontal plane within which said sheet is successively supported andcarried along upon a series of rolls 9, the improved supporting andfiattening table 10, and a second series of rolls ll into and throughthe annealing leer 12. a

The sheet supporting and flattening table 10 comprises a substantiallyrectangular metallic plate 13 extending transversely beneath the sheet 7and being arched or arcuately curved transversely as shown so that thesheet contacts with the plate at substantially the transverse centerthereof while the opposite side portions of said plate curve downwardlyaway from said sheet to reduce the area of contact between the plate andsheet and also to permit a varying of the point of contact of said platewith said sheet upon adjustment of the former as will be more fullyhereinafter explained. The plate 13 is preferably formed from a suitablenon-Corrosive metal such as nichrome, monel or the like and is arrangedwithin a temperature controlled compartment 14.

The metallic plate 13 is supported at opposite ends and also at one ormore points intermediate its ends, if desired, by the upwardly divergingarms 15 secured at their lower ends to a shaft 16 which extends 'atopposite ends through the side walls 17 of temperature controlledcompartment 14 and is journaled at each end within a cylindrical memberor block 18 eccentrically thereof. The cylindrical members 18 aremounted within brackets 19 supported upon suitable supporting structures20. The member 18 at one end of the shaft 16 projects outwardly beyondthe respective bracket 19 and carries around its periphery a worm gear21 with which meshes a worm 22 carried by bracket 19 and operable by ahand wheel 23. The shaft 16 projects beyond member 18 and the projectingportion 24: thereof carries a Worm ear 25`with which meshes a worm 26carried %y member 18 and operable by a hand wheel 27. The means justdescribed for mounting the table 10 permits it to be readily adj ustedso as to vary the point of contact between the table and sheet and alsopermits of its being moved bodily Vertically. Thus, when it is desiredto adjust the table 10 so as to present a new surface in contact withsheet 7, the hand wheel 27 is rotated to efiect rotation of shaft 16through worm 26 and worm gear 25 whereupon the plate 13 will be rockedin the desired direction. On the other hand, when it is desired to raisethe table bodily vertically, the hand wheel 23 is rotated so as toeffect rotation of the members 18 through worm 22 and worm gear 21. Itwill be apparent that due to the arcuate curvature of the plate 13, whenthis plate is rocked about shaft 16 to any appreciable extent, the uppersurface thereof will be either raised or lowered slightly with respectto the plane of the glass sheet and it is therefore desirable that meansbe provided for moving the plate vertically to compensate for any changein the level thereof due to its rocking movement.

As the sheet 7 is dragged horizontally over and in contact with thestationary plate 13, said plate will produce a`wiping action upon saidsheet to smooth or flatten out surface irregularities therein so that aflatter, smoother and more uniform thickness of sheet may be produced.The plate 13 is also adapted to be heated preferably `by the passage ofan electric current therethrough. This heating of the plate will in turnefiect the desired heating of the sheet 7 as it comes into contacttherewith to facilitate the flattening thereof and the removal ofsurface irregularities therefrom. In addition, the

uniform heating of the plate will efl'ect a uniform heating of the sheetthroughout its entire width as it is dragged thereover so as tofacilitate the annealing thereof.

A wiring diagram of the electrically operated means which may beemployed for heating the table 10 is shown in Fig. 2. Leading from thepositive and negative mains 28 and 29 are the wires 30 and 31respectively connected to the coil 32 of the variable transformer 33,while leading from the coil 34 of said transformer is a wire 35connected to one end of the plate 13 and a second wire 36 connected tothe opposite end thereof. Interposed within the length of wire 30 is amain c antrol switch 37. In operation, and when the switch 37 is closedthe electric current will pass from the positive main 28 through wire30, coil 32 of the variable transformer and wire 31 to the negative main29 to complete the circuit. The passage of the current through the coil32 will produce a flow of current through the coil 34 which current willflow through wire 35 into the plate 13 at one end, through the plate andoutwardly thereof at the opposite end through wire 36 and back to thecoil to complete this circuit. Due to the fact that the plate 13 isformed of a suitable resistance material, it will ofi'er opposition tothe passage of the electric current therethrough with the result thattheelectrical energy will be converted into heat. Upon proper operationof the variable transformer, the desired heating of the plate may beaccurately controlled.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown anddescribed is to be taken as the preferred embodiment of the same, andthat various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may beresorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention orthescope of the subjoined claims.

I claim:

1. lu sheet glass apparatus, means for drawing a sheet upwardly from amass of molten glass, means for deflecting the sheet from the verticalto a horizontal plane, and a statonary plate extending transverselybeneath the sheet-and over and in contact with which said sheet isdragged while traveling horzontally, said plate being arcuately curvedtransversely throughout its entire upper surface.

2. ln sheet glass apparatus, means for drawing a sheet upwardly from amass of molten glass, means for deflecting the sheet from the Verticalto a horizontal plane, a stationary plate extending transversely beneaththe sheet and over and in contact with which' said sheet is draggedwhile traveling horizontally, said plate being arcuately curvedtransversely throughout its entire' upper surface, andmeans for passingan electric current through said plate to heat the same.

3. In sheet glass apparatus, means for drawing asheet upwardly from amass of molten glass, means for deflecting the sheet from the verticalto a horizontal plane, and a horizontal stationary metallic plate of anoncorrosive material extending transversely beneath the sheet and overand in contact with which said sheet is dragged while travelinghorizontally, said plate being arched trans-' versely so that the sheetpassing thereover has substantially line contact therewith.

4. In sheet glass apparatus, means for drawing a sheet upwardly. from amass of molten glass, means for deflecting the sheet from the verticalto a horizontal plane, a horizontal stationary metallic plate of a non-Corrosive material extending transversely beneath the sheet and over andin contact with which said sheet is dragged while travelinghorizontally, said plate being arched transversely so that the sheetpassing thereover has substantially line contact therewth, and means forpassing an electric current through said plate to heat the same.

5. In sheet glass apparatus, a metallic plate arcuately curvedtransversely throughout its entire upper surface for supporting andproducing a wiping efl'ect upon a semi-plastic sheet of glass passingthereover to remove surface irregularities therefrom.

6. In sheet glass apparatus, a metallic plate arcuately curvedtransversely throughout its entire upper surface for supporting andproducing a wiping efl'ect upon a semi-plastic sheet of glass passingthereover to remove surface irregularities therefrom, and means forpassing an electric' current through said plate to heat the same.

7. In sheet glass apparatus, a transversely arcuately curved stationarymember for supporting a glass sheet passing thereover, and means foradjusting said member to vary the point of contact between said memberand sheet.

8. In sheet glass apparatus, a transversely arcuately curved stationarymember for supporting a glass sheet passing thereover, and means forrocking said member to vary the point of contact between said member andsheet.

9. In sheet glass apparatus, a transversely arcuately curvedstationarymember for supporting a glass sheet passing thereover, meansfor ad usting said member to vary the point of contact between saidmember and sheet,

and means for moving said member bodily vertically.

10. In sheet glass apparatus, arcuately curved stationary member forsupportin a glass sheet passing thereover, means for roc (ing saidmember to vary the point of contact between said member and sheet, andeccentric means for moving said member bodily vertically.

11. In sheet glass apparatus, a transversely arcuately curved stationarymember for supporting a glass sheet passing thereover, a shaftsupporting said member, a cylindrical 'member within which the shaft iseccentri-' end, means for rotata-' cally mounted at each bly supportingsaid cylindricalmembers, and means for rotating said cylindrical membersto move the first mentioned member bodily vertically. p

12. In sheet glass apparatus, a trans'versely arcuatelycurved'stationary member for supporting a glass sheet passing thereover,a shaft supporting said member, a cylindrical member within which theshaft is eccentrically mounted at each end, means for rotatablysupporting said cylindrical members, means a transversely JOHN C.HENDERSON.

